


eventually terrible memories turn into great ones

by naturalsunlight



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Awkward Flirting, Co-workers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Mutual Pining, Prolonged Eye Contact, emily's kinda just vibing, handsy shit, heatstroke/heat exhaustion debacle, hints of Preath, it gets fluffy, kelley's in DEEP, they're kinda just dumb but can make it work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:07:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 18,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22429870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naturalsunlight/pseuds/naturalsunlight
Summary: The apartment next to Kelley's in Salt Lake City has been her extra storage space for a while now, it being vacant for so long. That is, until she gets a call from her landlord saying that she'll have to move all her treasured cargo out for a new tenant.
Relationships: Kelley O'Hara/Emily Sonnett
Comments: 109
Kudos: 366





	1. chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> title comes from lost in yesterday by tame impala

There are moments in Kelley's day-to-day life that aren't as hectic as others. There's always the usual hustle and bustle about going to training, and eating properly, and buying food so she doesn't starve, but then there are the softer moments that she cherishes. One of those moments being her morning coffee. People _know_ that once the clock hits 8:30 in the morning, no one should even _attempt_ to talk to her until at _least_ 9:15, but here she is, at 8:57, trudging to the kitchen counter to where her phone is incessantly ringing. Who the hell could be calling this early without a death wish, Kelley wouldn't know.

"Hello?" She doesn't attempt to take the bite and snarl out of her greeting, holding her phone in between her shoulder and ear while taking a sip from her coffee and filling a word in from the crossword in today's USA Today.

"Kelley! Hope you're having a great morning. I got some bad news, hun," And Kelley doesn't _hate_ her landlord, per say, it's just her extra high voice and too-bubbly-to-be-real persona really pushes her buttons sometimes. She's a great person, lots of character, but Kelley just has something against people with _that_ much character. Someone who acts like nothing bad happens, ever. 

"And that is?" Kelley's maybe 45% in the conversation, too busy figuring out what a 'forklift's burden' could possibly be. 

"You know that apartment next to yours, 714? The one you use as storage even though I've told you not to?" Kelley just hums, tapping her pen on the counter and moving onto different words. She's been told more than once (and twice and thrice) that the unit next to hers isn't an extra apartment for Kelley, but her landlord is barely in the building and no one else is using it so...

"Yes, Brenda. What does that have to do with anything you're saying?" 'Pallet', she got, filling in 52 down on the crossword. She gave a triumphant hum, taking another sip from her coffee.

"You have to clean it out by 6 pm today, Kelley. Someone's moving in!" If it wasn't for her excellent ability at keeping liquids down, (thank you, Stanford frat parties) all her coffee would be on the pages of her newspaper. No one's been in that apartment since before Kelley moved in a couple years ago, and Kelley's been perfectly fine with not having neighbors. After all, she does have a _lot_ of shit. And paying for storage units are such a pain.

"Woah, woah, woah. I have practice until 4 today, there's no way I can move everything out by 6! Can you just tell them to maybe, I don't know, not move in? Yeah, I think that'd be great for everyone!" 

"Sorry, Kelley. The deal has been made for a couple weeks now, she's just getting back from a business trip. I can ask for maybe another day, but by 6 that apartment should be mostly cleared out. Have a great day!" She said a weak goodbye, hanging up the phone and closing her eyes. She texts the first person she can think of that'd be up right now and doesn't wait long for an answer.

**Kelley O'Hara:** Can you come over right now? I have to move out of my second apartment by 6 tonight.

**CP:** Be there in 20.

And bless Christen Press' heart for 1. not caring, and 2. not asking questions. 

* * *

She does end up coming exactly 20 minutes later, looking refreshed and relaxed as always. Christen always nags Kelley for not attempting to do yoga, but Kelley just dismisses the thought and says it's not her thing.

"Why do you have to move out?" They're already halfway done, making light conversation about the upcoming season and the Olympics around the corner. 

"Some girl is moving in today," And Christen's looking at her with a smug smirk on her face and a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows, "Chris, no. I'm _perfectly_ fine being single and shit. Besides, anyone moving to Utah in March can't be gay."

"And why is that?" Salt Lake City is gay-friendly, Kelley knows, but why would someone move here just for their acceptance of queer people? Besides, 80% of the people she knows is straight (maybe 70%). 

"Can you just finish moving that into my apartment?" She deflects the question, totally not even entertaining the thought in her own mind. "Besides, she's probably not my type." Christen gives her a knowing look but continues moving the box of old jerseys out of the apartment, and Kelley lets out a huff of air. She's been single ever since her girlfriend abruptly ended things in late November, the 25th to be exact, due to "distance" and "lack of communication". Maybe it _was_ Kelley's fault for basically ghosting her for a week straight, but her ankle was being a bitch and she was moody. So what?

She's buried that memory so deep in her brain, the heartbreak and anger she felt, that it took a second for the memories to come flooding back in. She'd flown to DC for Thanksgiving, looking to spend the week with her girlfriend and maybe catch another hockey game, but left on the 26th with red, puffy eyes and a hole in her chest. She closed herself off then, focuses on rehabilitation and being able to play again. She hadn't thought about her ex in two months now, something she's incredibly proud of. There was that _one_ time, after the last group stage game of Olympic Qualifiers, that Kelley had her contact open and her thumb hovering over the call button, but then Horan came barreling in the room on FaceTime with one of her friends and Kelley was tucking her phone under her pillow and getting up to use the bathroom. 

The truth is, though, that everyone is Kelley's type. If they were female and showed the slightest hint of attraction towards Kelley, she'd give them a whirl. The constant hooking up started and stopped in college, but a quick stint after the Rio Olympics led to her meeting her ex, and the hooking up stopped entirely after that. She _should_ be out trying to get back in the game, but she can't find the effort or willingness to actually go out and meet someone.

"Kel!" She was knocked out of her thoughts when she heard Christen call out her name, "God, I called you name like, five times. I'm going to go down and get some breakfast, do you want anything?" Kelley just shakes her head, sitting down at the counter and scrolling through her phone. It's nearly 15 minutes of her scrolling through the Tinder profile Rose and Mal made her at last camp later when the door opens again. 

"Who are you and why is there so much stuff in my apartment?" 

Brenda, you liar.


	2. chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what's emily doing in utah?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like some backstory is always good. like my other WIPs, don't get too excited about quick updates. i just decided to procrastinate a lot and work on this instead of any of my other work lol
> 
> un-beta'd, all mistakes are mine, as always.

When Emily sprained her knee during one of the first games of her sophomore year, she didn't want to believe that her entire future was over. So she rehabbed and healed as quick as possible, getting in match form with three games left of the season. She didn't wear her brace, the one the doctors had strongly suggested her wearing for a while since she was jumping back in so quick. She went through exactly one week of physical therapy, hating every minute that she wasn't on the field with her teammates. It fueled her, in a way, watching as all her class mates were getting considerable minutes and her spot on the backline was being filled. So she rushed her recovery time, jumping back on the field the minute the orthopedist cleared her warily. There were two practices before the big Virginia clash - UVA hosting Virginia Tech. From the two times in her freshman year they squared off against one another, Virginia was going to steamroll Tech. That's how it goes. So she had no doubts that the coach would put her in, even if it was a sub. 

Practices went as smooth as possible, her knee only slightly aching after a considerable amount of running, but an ice bath and physiotherapy routine later, she was good. She was _ready._ Ready to prove that she has what it takes to get call ups to the senior national team, the most coveted team in the ladder of national teams she's been on. Ready to prove that she's still worthy of the starting spot. 

She doesn't start, however. The coach knows Emily's more than capable of starting, of pushing through until borderline passing out, but he doesn't even _glance_ at her on the bench until the seventy-eighth minute when the center-back in _her_ spot racks up a yellow. It was a dumb challenge, Emily knew it the moment one of Tech's forwards cut the ball back to her left foot in a Christen Press-esque technique, and the center-back overcommitted. Emily wouldn't have done that, she thinks, as the coach is motioning for her to start warmups so they don't risk losing a man. It throws the dynamic of the team off when one of the backline players gets subbed off, Emily knows that, but she'd be willing to have the team thrown off if it meant for her to play. To play her first game in months. 

The ref holds up the board with her number lit in green, and she's high-fiving the upset placeholder while she runs onto the field. 

It doesn't take long for action to happen, Tech players seemingly willing to do whatever it takes to level the game at 1. Emily and the rest of the backline are doing everything in their power to thwart the Tech spur. Luckily, one of the forwards pushes just a little too hard on Emily protecting the ball and she earns UVA a free kick, lining up to get it in the attacking third. She plants her left foot down after a small run-up, kicking the ball downfield as her planted knee pops and she's on the ground, clutching it in pain, eyes closed and body hunched over. This is different than the sprain, Emily knows almost instantaneously. It didn't pop back then, kind of just twisted weirdly. The ATs are already crowding around her by the time she opens her eyes, the Virginian air in the fall cooling her down slightly. She hears the hushed whispers from the crowd, the quiet murmurs from teammates and opponents. And then she finally tunes into the senior AT who's asking way too many questions in the short time frame he's been here. 

"Sonnett, can you move your knee for me? Just bend it?"

"On a scale of one to ten, how's the pain?" 

"Is this worse or better than the sprain?"

"Did you hear it pop?" 

And that question was asked with more heed than the others, and it's the first one Emily could actually respond to.

"Yes," Her voice wobbled a little as she felt the tears brim the corners of her eyes.

"Yes to what? That you heard it pop?" And when Emily doesn't give a verbal answer, the trainer looks up from where he's trying to get the knee mobile, Emily nodding her head and biting her lip to stop the cries of pain from spilling out. Everything else happens in a blur, the trainer motioning for a stretcher to come and her teammates hovering around, consoling her. A couple of the midfielders help lift her onto the stretcher when it arrives, and she's getting carried to a cart while getting a sympathetic applause from the crowd. Everything's drowned out though, the disappointment overwhelming her.

* * *

After her surgery, Emily didn't attempt to get back into soccer. She couldn't. Too much PTSD from the last time she played. So she focused all her time studying, even though she had no idea what she'd be doing in life. No orthodox job really called to her. She honestly thought she'd be playing professional soccer in a couple years, not looking for a job in whatever field she wanders into. There's an event held every year for students who don't know what to major in that she manages to stumble into, in her sweatpants and long sleeve shirt from the night before. She's just about to leave when the trainer from when she blew her knee out catches her eye. So she wanders to his booth, catching the tail-end of a story about him and the professional team he worked with before moving here. It piqued Emily's interest, for her to be so close to playing the game she loves while also helping people. It should make her jealous - the fact that she wouldn't ever be able to be on the field in the limelight, instead potentially standing on the sides, away from the action - but it creates a thought in her brain that doesn't go away until she's shadowing the AT at a basketball practice and applying for an internship in Atlanta during the summer.

Halfway through her junior year, she goes abroad. To France. She got the opportunity to shadow a women's soccer team's trainer after some incredibly high remarks and amazing exam scores, so obviously she packed her bags for the two month trip across the pond, excited to absorb everything she can about working with real professionals. 

France was amazing. Paris was a delight, and being able to work in the Parc de Princes almost every day was surreal. She remembers watching PSG play in Champions League games and Ligue 1 games all the time, and to be able to stand on the field watching the women work and play didn't bring a single twinge of jealousy like she thought it might. There are two Americans on the team. Tobin, the one older than her, wiser - a legend of the game, really - and another her age. Lindsey, the one her age, skipped college to join PSG, and Emily could never in a million years think about doing that. But Lindsey was damn good, and they became friends easily.

Once her time abroad was up, Emily and Lindsey still were the best of friends. They didn't talk nearly as much as in France, what with time zones and everything, but still made sure they talked at least three times a week. It was their routine until Lindsey came back to America and moved to Portland a year later. Emily had graduated with a bachelors in Athletic Training by that time, spending her summer in Atlanta doing the same summer internship with Atlanta United from sophomore year, until she was back in Virginia, getting her masters. 

Two years later, she got a job with Atlanta United right away, staying for a half season before moving to England and becoming the trainer for Spurs women for the next two and a half seasons. There was really no reason for her to leave England, but something felt different. It was February, months before the end of the season, but Emily couldn't stay there any longer, so she gave her month's notice to the club and began the hunt for another job. Luckily she didn't have to look very hard, numerous amounts of NWSL and MLS teams calling her back to back, wanting to wrangle her high profile in. She's 26 for crying out loud, getting that much recognition in the field would give you a high profile. She wanted to go to Portland, both Lindsey and Tobin both still kicking ass on the team, but their staff was already amazing and wasn't looking for new additions. Atlanta wanted to give her her previous job back, but she didn't want that. She got to one of the last offers, one from the... Utah Royals? Was that a team before she left? Emily honestly didn't know, but the coach had almost begged to have her on board, and Utah's a few hour plane ride from Portland so...

Why the hell not.

(Besides, they were going to pay her more.)

She finalized the deal on an apartment while in England. The landlord was a lovely (maybe that's a little too nice of a word) woman who understood that Emily still had some work to complete overseas but she should be back in about a week's time. It's a nice building in the heart of Salt Lake City, the mountains thoroughly visible and the skyline in front of her. It's about a 30 minute commute from her apartment to Rio Tinto, so she should have no trouble getting to work. She had no more pain or anger towards the game of soccer, fully getting over her tough ending. She'd learned to accept the fact that yeah, she can't play anymore, but she can still help the team win - by fixing players up. 

When she got to her apartment, the first thing she noticed were the very long flights of stairs on the way up to the seventh floor, praying the elevators always work. The next thing she notices is the apartment next to hers, number 713, wide open. She ignored it, placing her key in her new home and twisting the door open, only to be welcomed with a clutter of boxes and _things_ scattered across her hardwood floors and a _woman_ sitting at _her_ kitchen counter.

"Who are you and why is there so much stuff in my apartment?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can y'all tell i'm a virginian? virginia in the fall hits different, let me just tell you that


	3. chapter three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kelley's a bitch, emily's smug

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if the chapter has a written out number (i.e, this one - three), it'll follow kelley. if it's a normal number (2 for example), it follows emily

She looks familiar, Kelley reasons as she catches herself staring just a second too long. She can't put a finger on a name or reason why this woman seems familiar, though. Maybe just a passerby she's seen before, or loosely connected acquaintances, but there's something about her that seems like Kelley would know who this is. She's got an athletic build, which she finds out from taking a long look up and down her before immediately diverting her attention away from her body and up to waiting pale blue eyes. 

"Kelley. O'Hara," She says like it's obvious, but she feels like a fool when the woman doesn't show a hint of knowledge. And like, she knows women's soccer isn't as popular as men's sadly, but she's won two world cups. And an olympic gold medal. She's one of the faces of US Soccer, there's no way her name doesn't ring a bell. But no, the woman in front of her looks rather bored after the two words Kelley spit out, rocking back and forth on her feet and sucking on her front two teeth.

"Am I supposed to know who you are?" There's something about how she says it that lights a fire in Kelley. Maybe it's the apathetic tone of her voice or the almost disrespectful way she's holding herself. Because this kid can't be older than 24, all fresh-faced and looking like _that_ to someone her senior makes Kelley feel like a boomer - easily provoked by the kids these days. 

"I'm Kelley freaking O'Hara," She says exasperated, and the girl in front of her doesn't bat an eye, just cracks her knuckles and rolls her neck.

"Good for you, you know your identity," And she's half a second away from snapping, getting increasingly frustrated with this kid, "Listen, just clear whatever _this_ is," she motions to the floor, "and leave my house, I have to head down to work." She scurries off before Kelley could get another say in, huffing in anger before slumping back down into her chair.

* * *

It doesn't take long to finish packing up, the majority light boxes and some memorabilia scattered around to move. By the time Christen comes back, she's calmed down and there's one box left that Kelley's already picking up. It's nearing 10, about an hour before she has to start getting ready for training, and she thanks god for creating someone as responsible as Christen in her life. Because Kelley forgot to eat breakfast, getting too disrupted by the dreadful phone call this morning and even worse first encounter to eat, and she's shoving a bagel in her mouth before her stomach grumbles again. 

Her and Christen share thoughts about the upcoming season, how desperately they want to win the title this year, and the Olympics coming up in five months before Christen's hugging Kelley goodbye and shutting her door to leave Kelley all alone. It was always peaceful catching up with one of Kelley's best friends, recalling memories from college or sharing gossip heard from camps. As the years wore on though, they drifted apart. Not so much where it's awkward to be alone together, but enough where Kelley isn't Christen's first phone call when something happens and vice versa. It doesn't bother her though, always content with being alone, but it stings to know the distance is there, but no one's doing anything about. Just sign of the times, she chalked up a while ago, peacefully accepting the fact that they might never be as close as they were at Stanford. For a while it was fine, though, Christen having Tobin to fulfill that role and Kelley's girlfriend to do that as well. But now Kelley's single and Christen's engaged, and their splitting roads are veering further away each day. She's more than a little ashamed to have Christen as one of her closest friends now, all her other friends slowly fading away from lack of effort put in on her end. 

She doesn't get to wallow in her own self-pity and failures as she's pulling her training pants on and a light jacket because Utah is still a little cold in March. She always finds solace coming back to Salt Lake, the mountain breeze and clear skies grounding her a little. She finds herself almost always leaving Georgia a couple weeks prematurely, getting fed up with relatives and family friends asking if there's a special man in her life. She always says no, tired of explaining why there will _never_ be a special _man_ in her life. It's gets old quickly, the more, ahem, homophobic members of the O'Hara clan chipping away at Kelley's fortitude. She's already out to her immediate family and many of her friends back home, after all she _did_ kiss her girlfriend after the world cup, but it always seems like too much of a hassle to come out the everyone else. So she doesn't. Every year she books her flight for December 30th, not wanting to spend New Years with everyone and more than happy to set up shop in Utah before January camp. She used to go to DC and then Utah, but now she doesn't. And she's ok with that.

The drive to Rio Tinto is thirty minutes of silence for Kelley. Plugging her phone in is too much effort, and the radio is hardly ever good. So she drives in silence. And she's ok with that. Usually her and Christen or at least Becky drive together, but she's been going alone for all of preseason. She's _not_ depressed, got that not-so-officially checked a while ago, just with the change in seasons and the thought of one badly timed tackle could end her career. So it's _not_ depression, she's just a little sad. Everyone goes through these phases.

When she gets to the pitch, _her_ spot is taken. It's not like when Becky put her boots in her slot, because that was comical. No, this is way worse. Everyone knows that her spot is her spot, so whoever has the gall to park there must be asking for something unpleasant. She pushes the sudden anger growing inside her, begrudgingly parking five spots down and slamming her door shut as she exits the car. It's a matter of thirty feet, but it's still enough for her jaw to be clenched wire-shut. She's been getting bad mood swings lately, not knowing the cause of it all.

There's a gathering in the locker room where the entire team is. She's a couple minutes late (fifteen is a couple, right?) and the interim coach is saying something that Kelley can't quite catch. Christen's closer to the front, Becky right next to the coach, and one more person is up there too. She can't see over the crowd, just sees a messy blonde bun poking through. _Must be one of the new signings,_ she thinks to herself, dropping down from her tiptoes and trying to pay more attention to where the coach is blabbering on about this new girl. Did Utah sign someone from England recently?

"Please welcome Emily Sonnett!" Kelley's heard that name before. Can maybe remember if she racks her brain back far enough that name popping up on the defender radar and the national team radar. She hasn't heard that name in a while though, something about an injury. That was a while ago, and Kelley's still trying to put a name to a face when the team breaks and disperses, giving her a clear view of this new player.

And, well, fuck Kelley sideways. Because the same pale blue eyes from the neighbor debacle is squinting ever so slightly from a smile and then her gaze diverts-

Kelley's never turned around faster.

Just her luck, her new fucking neighbor is on the team now. 

"Kelley freaking O'Hara! What a pleasure to meet you for the very first time!" She's getting teased. She knows this. Emily Sonnett, someone who has no business in Utah, is fucking _teasing_ Kelley. There's a hand on her shoulder and it's then that Kelley realizes she wasn't moving the entire time. Just awkwardly facing the door to the showers. She recoils slightly, scooting as far away as possible from the presence in front of her.

"Yeah. The pleasure's mine. Thought you were supposed to be at work," It sounds accusatory, like Emily Sonnett was telling a lie. Like she was following Kelley, no matter how impossible that would be.

"Well, I kind of _am_ at work," And Kelley hates how smug this girl sounds in front of her. How cocky she seems.

"What do you do, marketing? Merchandising? Didn't know salespeople needed a whole team introduction," Emily Sonnett is pursing her lips and trying to hide a smile of mirth from crossing her face. It's a poor job, really.

"Oh, I wish. It'd be _so_ much easier to sell things instead of setting dislocated bones and pouring bags of ice into tubs. They don't tell you just how many bags of ice you cripples use in AT school," It feels like Kelley just got slapped in the face. Slapped in the face by a stupid smirk. But Kelley doesn't have time for shenanigans, seeing as most of the team has already started their dynamic stretching in the time of this heated conversation.

"Whatever, just stay out of my way." She's brushing past Emily Sonnett to get to her locker, nudging her shoulder with intent.

"Kind of hard when you're constantly breaking that poor ankle, Kelley freaking O'Hara!" There's amusement laden in her voice, and Kelley's never wanted to punt a soccer ball into someone's face more than right now. 

* * *

Emily Sonnett does stay out of Kelley's way the entire practice. Something about getting a feel for the stadium, Kelley overheard, and it finally allows her to focus. Because that plebeian isn't there to put Kelley on edge, even though she shouldn't be put on edge by someone like Emily Sonnett. She's played in some of the biggest games in soccer, _one_ girl shouldn't do this to her. 

They don't cross paths again until Kelley's making her way to the training room for an ice bath, trying to push out the conversation they had before practice. Christen's going too, so it won't be awkward. At least she doesn't think it will. 

Christen and Emily Sonnett seem... chummy. Like they were friends before she came to Utah, but that's impossible because Emily Sonnett was in England before this. She's still trying to wrap her head around this "friendship" as she's submerging her body into the frigid water and Christen's chatting with the new trainer.

"How do you know her?" Kelley whispers to Christen in the tub beside her, Emily Sonnett dipping out of the room to find some kinesiology tape. 

"Who, Sonnett? She shadowed PSG's trainer when Tobin played there. She was a great defender, too bad she got injured," And she sounds remorseful. Kelley's about to press on more about it, but the woman in question is entering the room with a bounce in her step and a tune whistling on her lips. 

"Alright Press, you're done for today. Say hi to Tobin for me," She says as she scribbles something into a notepad and Christen's hopping out of the tub, saying goodbye with quivering lips and a shaking body. "As for you, O'Hara, you still have four minutes left and then physio. I'm going to get your ankle stronger than ever." And that damn smug smile is back, making Kelley clench her fists for reasons other than the frigid water. 

"Bold to say on your first day," Kelley countered through gritted teeth.

"Not my first," She corrects, and Kelley's eyebrows pinch together as Emily Sonnett keeps talking, "I've been an AT and worked around high level athletes for nearly seven years. I know what I'm doing, O'Hara." 

"That's not what I was implying," She defends herself.

"But you were thinking it. If I didn't know what I was doing, I wouldn't have had eight jobs offers waiting for me when I announced my resignation in England." It shut Kelley up afterwards, only saying yes or no when she was asked questions about her ankle. 

She notices that Emily Sonnett, or Sonnett, as Christen called her, has a constant furrow of her eyebrows, like she's confused. She's almost always moving, walking around the tubs to drain them or bouncing her leg while waiting for Kelley to finish her stretches. She's got a messy-neat handwriting that irks Kelley, the all caps format digging deep inside her. There's just so much energy to this girl, similarly to her landlord, that Kelley just detests. 

"Why'd you leave England, seems like you liked it there." It takes Sonnett a minute to comprehend what Kelley had just asked, the last full sentence spoken to each other happening nearly ten minutes ago. 

"Wasn't feeling it anymore." It's short and vague, which Kelley does not appreciate. She likes getting to know people, even if they drive her as mad as Sonnett does. So she finds herself wanting to press on more about it, wanting to _really_ find out the reason, if there was any.

They don't talk again until Kelley finally finishes her stretching and Sonnett's giving her a new stretching regimen, feeling like the old one isn't adequate enough for the wear and tear her poor ankle's gone through recently. 

"O'Hara, stay out of my apartment from now on," Kelley rolls her eyes and is about to make a comment when Sonnett says, "Even though I know it's tempting."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as you can see, i'm planning on making this 14 chapters, give or take. i might add some or take away some chapters depending on how quickly this progresses, so look out for that


	4. chapter four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kelley finds some things out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a pretty short one, ngl
> 
> once again, i literally never proof read so sorry for the mistakes!

For the past three years, Kelley's woken up with pain and soreness in her ankles. Today she didn't. Today, when she rolled out of bed to start her coffee, her ankle wasn't sore, and she doesn't know why. She's not opposed to it, actually very happy about it, but there's nothing she did different yesterday than the past three years. She trained, had an ice bath, did PT stretches like always, and-

Oh.

So maybe Emily Sonnett isn't bad at her job. Maybe she's actually really fucking good at it. Because after one day and one routine change, Kelley's ankles have felt as close to fully healed as ever. But Kelley isn't going to praise her, because she's... she just _can't_ praise her. 

Kelley's freshly brewed coffee is sitting on her counter as she gets her black pen and her reading glasses ready for another peaceful morning when a constant thud on the shared wall between where Emily Sonnett's bedroom is and Kelley's kitchen. Kelley doesn't want to begin to _think_ about what's happening in there, but then she hears a disrupting and loud moan that makes her fists and jaw clench. Who could possibly be fucking Emily Sonnett at 8:45 am on a Wednesday?

Kelley goes out onto her balcony with her coffee and crossword in hand, trying to get away from the noise. She thought, surely, after 15 minutes it'd stop, no man has that stamina, but she was so, so wrong. Because it lasted for almost an hour, and Kelley had just found the last word when it finally stopped. Even from the damn balcony she could hear their heavy, labored breathing and the shuffling of feet shortly after. She's getting up and stretching when the sliding door next to her opens.

"Good morning, O'Hara. Have a good night's rest?" And Kelley _really_ doesn't want to look up at the kid's face, to see that damn smirk and probably messy sex hair. 

"It was fine. I'm assuming you had a restless night," It comes out a little shaky, uneven, and Kelley has no idea why it did. 

"Now now, that's none of your business, is it?" Kelley _finally_ looks up, sees Sonnett in a PSG hoodie and some UVA shorts with her hair in that messy bun from yesterday, and it enrages Kelley.

"It's everyone's fucking business when they can hear you from eight doors down, Sonnett." She's not jealous. She would never be jealous of heterosexual sex. It's just, Kelley hasn't had sex since November. It's been a while. She misses those college days when she could pick anyone up and fuck them until their legs gave out, but it's been long since and she's matured. Slightly. But she's still matured, still knows what a real loving, caring relationship feels like. Even if it ending was her own wrongdoing. 

"Awfully presumptuous of you," This is amusing her. Kelley's anger is fucking _amusing_ this kid. She can hear, can _see_ it. The way her eyes squint and the corners of her lips are upturning ever so slightly, but still there. The morning rays of sun cascading onto the both of them, but especially in Sonnett's hair. The way it makes it lighter, makes it look-

What the fuck?

"Huh?" She just zoned out, didn't she? Fuck. What's happening? Kelley quickly and (not so) subtly shakes her head, diverting her gaze to the now interesting concrete below her. She flicks the pen in her hand, and Sonnett starts laughing. It's a nice laugh. No. No. She can't be thinking this. No.

"Oh dear Kelley, is it ok if I call you that? You give off the vibe that you're always mad," Kelley shoots her head up, squinting slightly with the sun beaming into her eyes, and Sonnett's standing there, waiting. 

"Whatever," She tries to hide that fact that her brain is going a million miles an hour, figuring out whatever the fuck _that_ mess was. 

"Brilliant! Ok. _Kelley_ , I said that it was awfully presumptuous of you to believe that _I_ was the one making all the noise. I've been told I'm _very_ good in bed," It's smug, but it also makes Kelley's cheeks flush and her head dip down again. Why this child is having such an effect on Kelley, she wouldn't be able to say. There's a small rap on Sonnett's door, but Kelley can't see them because of the glare and tint of the door. Sonnett, however, turns back to Kelley and says, "I gotta send her out, but I'll see you at training!" and hurries back inside.

What.

The.

Fuck.

Her? Like, she? As in, female? It leaves Kelley dumbfounded, leaves her standing awkwardly on her balcony, mouth gaping open and brain going even _faster_ than before. Emily Sonnett is... gay? Maybe now, Kelley has a-

No. 

These things cannot be thought. _Will_ not. _Should_ not. She's just lonely. That's all. She just misses the comfort and familiarity of having a partner. That is all. Sonnett isn't even _that_ attractive. Maybe just the very pale, almost non-existent freckles that splay across her face, and her squint that pinches her eyebrows together and slightly purses her lips are attractive, but nothing else. Except maybe her soft looking hair and infectious smile. But that's it. 

Maybe Kelley's been just a tad too harsh on this kid, someone who just moved here less than three days ago. Someone who moved from a different _country,_ but she's just so irritating. So inexplicably annoying and smug. Someone who has no right to be that good at their job at such a young age. Someone who changed Kelley's entire routine but somehow made it work. Made her ankles feel better than before, made her feel looser and calmer. 

* * *

Training consists of a heavy lift and massage session. There's five trainers who do the massages, and Kelley gets stuck with Sonnett. Of all people. She's chewing mint gum that Kelley can smell from where she's laying on the table, belly down.

"Jeez, you're tight," It's definitely not meant to be suggestive in any way, shape, or form, but Kelley's face still heats up and she burrows her head into the table, avoiding any and all communication with the woman who's working out the knots in her back and shoulders. It feels amazing, Sonnett's hands going from rough to soft while rubbing. 

"You're really good at this," She all but moans out, immediately embarrassed. Sonnett snickers but continues, and Kelley has a feeling she's about to be teased. 

"Just imagine what else my hands can do," _That_ was definitely suggestive. Was definitely meant to get a rise out of Kelley, meant to rile her up. "Alright O'Hara, your massage is done. Leave," And Kelley's just slightly offended by how Sonnett's talking to her, giving her whiplash. But then...

Then she looks at Sonnett, who's sleeves have rolled up to her elbows, and just awkwardly stares at the contracting forearm muscles as she works on the next player in need. Her mouth gets a little dry, and her jaw clenches slightly as Sonnett puts her weight into the roll and those muscles ripple just a little more. Kelley wonders-

No. No. No.

This isn't going to happen.

She doesn't even _like_ this kid. This smug, boastful, arrogant kid who tries to rile her up and succeeds. She shouldn't be _having_ these thoughts. Nope. 

(But she is.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy super bowl sunday in america, even though literally none of y'all (and me) care about it. i just want SF to win.


	5. chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's friend time :)

It wasn't hard for Emily to pick up a girl. In fact, it was _really_ easy. Way easier than in England and Atlanta and Charlottesville, which was a nice change in pace. She's used to trying just a little too hard for a quick fuck, nothing ever serious. Well, not anymore. There was that one time in London where she found this girl, a girl that made her feel things. Emotions she's never really felt before. Just on the precipice of love, or something, but it scared her. So she ran away on a two week trip to Portland. It was great seeing Lindsey for the first time in a couple years, to see Tobin and meet her girlfriend before heading back to her job. When she looks back on that trip, it was probably one of the best of her life. She played soccer for the first time in years and reconnected with old lost friends. It was great. That trip was probably one of the deciding factors on leaving London, on leaving the Spurs, and continuing to grow and prosper in the field. 

She doesn't screw around often, maybe a few times in a month, but the girls in Salt Lake are so _easy_ compared to the places she's been before. So that's how she got on top of a girl late at night, and then early in the morning, because it was just too easy. She'd be crazy not to capitalize. 

Kelley was weird in the morning. A little bashful, maybe a little embarrassed about something. But she met Emily's eyes maybe three times during their entire exchange. And Emily's good at reading people, good at figuring out emotions that aren't always most prevalent, but there was something almost... jealous about Kelley. But that can't be right, because they've known each other for two days, and didn't necessarily get off on the right foot. Well, Kelley knew Emily for two days, but Emily's known her for years now. Watched her play during the 2015 world cup and kindled a small, childish crush on someone she's never met. Someone she probably never will meet, until the organization told her that she'd be in the same complex as some of the players and right next door to one as well. She thought it was a joke at first, because last time she checked, Kelley O'Hara was tearing it up in Jersey, surfing and frat daddy-ing, not hiking the mountains of Utah and being her next door neighbor for the foreseeable future. 

Emily makes friends easily, she's got a laid back demeanor to her and she's _funny,_ but she just can't crack the hard shell of Kelley freaking O'Hara. That is, until the weekend before season starts, when Kelley's knocking on her door persistently. 

"Yes, Kelley?" She answers while opening the door, "Wanted to get me alone that bad, huh?" 

"You're funny," Kelley deadpans, pushing her way through the threshold into Sonnett's apartment. It's becoming more home-y, she realizes. A UVA flag on the wall and knit blankets strewn across the couch. Some candles that are lit on the mantle, the tv on at a low volume playing a Spurs game. There are little pictures tacked around the room, on end tables and the tv stand. Kelley doesn't want to look too much into them, doesn't want to seem like she's actually interested in Sonnett's life, but she can't help it. There are pictures of Paris and England, of Sonnett graduating, of her and someone who looks a lot like her. 

"That's my twin, Emma," Sonnett takes her out of her bubble, seeming to read her mind, "I haven't seen her in about a year now," And suddenly Kelley feels bad. Feels bad for apparently staring at the picture long enough for Sonnett to take notice and get reminded.

"I'm sorry," And that might've been the first apology Kelley's ever uttered to Sonnett, a real, genuine apology. She could barely last a few weeks without her siblings, she couldn't dare fathom a whole year.

"Nothing to be sorry about, I was in a different country for most of that time," Kelley just gives her a sad smile and a silent beat passes, but it's not awkward. It's just a lull in the conversation, a quick break. "So! Why are you in my humble abode?" She shouldn't be shocked at how quickly Sonnett's mood changes, she's been dealing with this for the past month. It just always takes her by surprise.

"I need a new stretch, my ankle still doesn't feel 100%," She plopped herself down on the couch, making herself at home. 

"Well with how many times you've fucked it up, it'll never feel like 100%. But I'll see what I can do," Sonnett gives Kelley a string of streches to do, a few of them working, a few not. It's a trial and error process, she reminds Kelley who got just a little too frustrated when one would make her more sore than another. Finally though, after roughly 15 stretches expelled from Sonnett's vast array of knowledge, there's one that elicits just enough pain but also relief. 

"Why do you have to be so good at your job?" Sonnett gives a snort and settles onto the couch, pulling a blanket over her legs and turning the volume up ever so slightly on the tv. 

"I could ask you the same," Kelley, from her standing position off to the side, finds a cozy spot on the couch and enjoys the final ten minutes of the match in silence, the only noise in the room the tv and Sonnett's quiet mutters whenever a player did something, good or bad. 

"Tell me the real reason you left?" It takes the both of them out of the little bubble they've found themselves in, and Sonnett's coming up with the words to explain when Kelley says, "Or not. It's totally fine if you don't want to. We aren't even friends yet."

"That could change, too bad you're too stubborn."

"Am not."

"You totally are. It's ok though, we have a good balance," There's a little lull there, seven minutes to be exact, that no one speaks. Just a blissful silence with the quiet crowd and announcers in the background. It's like before, not awkward but still present. "I just, I needed to leave. It was hard for me to stay away from my family for so long."

"I get that, it's hard enough for me and they're all domestic. I couldn't imagine how difficult it'd be from across an ocean," And Sonnett just gives a sad hum, clearly still in her head even after her confession. "I feel like there's more, Sonnett."

"There was this girl, god I was so stupid. She was one of the new signings in the January window. Classic story: I caught feelings and she was straight as a board. But she was better at her job than I was at mine, and was a hell of a lot more valuable, so I stayed until the transfer window ended and resigned the day after."

"That must've sucked. I'm sorry about that, Sonnett."

"It's no biggie. She wasn't that pretty anyways," She has a half smile on, messing with the remote in her hand. She can feel Kelley's eyes on her, but does everything in her power to avoid looking up. There's another blanketing silence among the room, with Sonnett playing with the blanket that was knitted together by her mom a while back. The string is fraying slightly, and Sonnett always makes it worse by pulling on them, fraying it even more.

"Do you think I'm ready for Tokyo?" Kelley asks with a small voice, a lot smaller than Sonnett's ever heard. She's used to the boisterous, slightly snarky tone of voice, not this. 

"From someone certified in assessing players and their injuries?" She asks rhetorically, "I think you're almost there. Been here a month and can see the progress you've made, Kelley - it's great. And the initiative you're taking on making sure you're 100% is great too, but you still have pain and the swelling is still there. Listen, you have to stop holding yourself to the standards of everyone else. Take some time for yourself, heal your body. You only have one, after all." A part of her job is to encourage, to uplift players' spirits, and she considers herself pretty good at that. Kelley has a small, tight-lipped smile on her face, barely visible in the dark living room of Sonnett's apartment. It's supposed to rain soon, the sky that gray color that Sonnett finds so peaceful. It restores her soul every time it rains, everything washing out with it.

"You're pretty great, Emily."

"Just doing my job, Kelley," It wasn't necessarily _weird_ that Kelley called Sonnett Emily, but it just threw her off ever so slightly. The game that ended long ago playing highlights now, and Emily gets up and starts to make her way to her kitchen when Kelley calls out,

"Can you make some food? I haven't eaten yet!" Emily just shakes her head and chuckles, taking two slices of toast out instead of one. 


	6. chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey! long time no see! sorry about the delay :/

Kelley's determined this season. She's not getting injured, not fucking up her chances of making a miraculous recovery in time for Tokyo, because this could be it. And Sonny - no matter how poorly Kelley had treated her when she came - is an angel. She seems to be putting a little more effort into Kelley's recovery regime, seems to pay special attention to Kelley. Because, even though she doesn't play the game anymore, Kelley is still Sonnett's idol. Still her childhood hero - even though Kelley's a mere five years older - and she knows the feeling of not getting to play anymore. 

It stopped hurting as much a while ago. Junior and senior year sucked. Emily felt a nuisance when she'd hang out with all the girls, felt like they're pitying her. She hated it. So she created distance with the team, with everyone, really. She went weeks without seeing some of her best friends, wouldn't talk to her parents for several days at a time. But then she went to France, and it opened her eyes. There was still a dull pain, that's almost inevitable, but she had found her calling. And she was damn good at it.

Sonny knows that Kelley's on her last legs of her career. This upcoming Olympics will probably be her last big tournament, and so she's going to try everything in her power to let Kelley go to Tokyo. It's the least she could do, really. 

Her crush has almost diminished entirely, now that she's actually _friends_ with Kelley O'Hara. Now that she knows how Kelley is daily. And, well, Kelley O'Hara is infectious. And she makes Sonny's job hard sometimes. But Kelley O'Hara is also a great friend.

Sonny's key magically stopped working one night. She tried for five minutes to open her door, but it wouldn't budge. She called the landlord, but was sent to voicemail three times. All the locksmiths were closed because it was midnight on a Tuesday, and right as she makes the executive decision to book a hotel room for the night, Kelley walks out of the elevator with the ice pack from their game that night still securely wrapped around her ankles. Sonny smiled to herself, happy to see that she's taking the proper initiative.

"Hey! Kelley! My key isn't working. Do you have a spare?" Sonny asks, and Kelley bursts out laughing once she sees Sonny sitting on the floor.

"Why would I have a spare key to _your_ apartment?" She says playfully, twirling her keys in her hand. 

"Uh, because you practically lived in it before I moved in?" Kelley purses her lips, reaching a hand out to pull Sonny up.

"Come on Sonnett, you can stay at mine for tonight," Kelley says, already turned away from Sonny and opening her door. Sonny's thankful that Kelley isn't looking, thankful she can't see the blush on her cheeks. "You want something to drink? La Croix? Beer?" Sonny declines the offer, looking around the apartment while Kelley busies herself in the kitchen.

"How come your view looks so much better than mine?" Sonnett asks, looking out at the Salt Lake City skyline. The moonlight illuminates the mountains with the city lights down below.

"Dunno. It's the same view." Kelley walks to the balcony door, looking outside with Sonnett.

"Isn't it pretty, though?" Emily asks with reverence, and Kelley has to bite her tongue to avoid saying something stupid like _not as pretty as you_ , which... what?

"Yeah it's pretty decent." Something about Sonnett is making her _feel_ something. Something about the way the moon is reflecting in her eyes, and the way her eyebrows crease together. "How are you gonna get back inside your place?"

"I'll probably call the locksmith or something tomorrow morning. Thank you for letting me stay here tonight, I owe you one," Emily says. Kelley just waves her off and then turns around to sit on her couch. 

"Don't worry about it, Sonny. It's what friends do, eh?" Emily kind of laughs at that, which causes Kelley to chuckle slightly.

"Didn't know we were friends," Emily muses, and Kelley's about to say something back when she says, "But I don't mind. You know how cool I'll be when I tell my sister I'm friends with _the_ Kelley O'Hara? You were, like, our childhood hero!"

"You bitch! I'm not that old!" Kelley throws the pillow on her lap at Sonny, narrowly missing.

"Your vision's going! Couldn't even hit a standing target eight feet away!" Emily's being amused by this - by the flush creeping up Kelley's neck, by the annoyance that is clearly evident.

"Shut up. You're all bones, a fucking sharpshooter wouldn't be able to hit you." Kelley's not upset, but she says it like she is. It causes Emily's face to fall, which makes Kelley celebrate internally at her success. Her celebration only lasts a second, because now Sonny is leaping forward and tackling Kelley down onto the couch. "Get off me! You're so big!"

"Thought I was all bones, Miss Kelley." That's new. Sonny doesn't call her that.

"Big bones," Kelley murmurs, acutely aware of the fact that Sonny is still on top of her, with no means of getting off soon.

"Just for that, I'm not getting off." Kelley groans, which causes Sonny to wiggle her ass down further onto Kelley, smooshing her further into the couch. It's weird. This is weird. But Kelley likes it.

"Son, please get off. I wanna go to bed," Kelley pleads, and Sonny does a mini bounce on top of her once more before jumping up. How this kid has so much energy, Kelley will never know.

"Give me some blankets." Kelley gives Sonnett a bewildered look, which makes her uncomfortable. 

"Nonsense. You're sleeping in my bed," Kelley says it easily, already making her way to the bedroom. They aren't that type of friends yet. They don't share beds, or sit on each other, or tease. Hell, three weeks ago they weren't even friends.

"No, really, I don't wanna be more of a nuisance. I'm fine sleeping on the couch." Kelley makes no effort to accept Sonnett's protests, standing firm on her word. 

"No, you're not gonna be a nuisance. I don't want you complaining about your back or neck tomorrow. Consider me saving you from a hell of a lot of pain," Kelley says smugly, and the smirk that accompanies it shoots straight through Emily. "Sonnett. Sleep in my bed. If you don't I'll have you fired."

"You don't even have to power to do that," Emily says. She stands up off the couch with an exasperated sigh, accepting defeat.

"No, but I have gold medals."

"Those two don't even correlate." Kelley flips her off while walking towards the bedroom, and Emily's hating the stupid lock on her stupid door.

Emily's a touchy person, by nature. She thinks physical contact is important in getting to know people and growing relationships. Maybe that's why she became a trainer, someone who's always touching another person. But as she cautiously climbs into Kelley's bed, she wishes for as much distance as possible. 

"I'll have you know in advance that I like to cuddle," Kelley says while turning off the lights. Sonny blushes, thankful that the lights are off. "G'night, Sonny."

"Night," Emily whispers into the darkness. This is weird. It should be weird. Her heart shouldn't be racing like she just ran a marathon, and she shouldn't be worried about Kelley potentially _hearing_ it. She shouldn't feel hot, because the fan is on and it's a pretty cool night in Utah. And she _definitely_ shouldn't want to roll over onto her side and cuddle into Kelley. Kelley, her friend, her co-worker, her most important patient. Her crush.

True to her word, Kelley ends up throwing an arm and a leg over Emily's body in her sleep. Sonny had just drifted off to sleep when it had happened, and she stiffened for a moment before relaxing into it. Friends sleep in the same bed together all the time, and they do sometimes end up maybe a little closer than they should. It happens, Emily's almost 100% certain that Kelley was deep in sleep and it had all been an accident.

But Kelley was awake the entire time, and it definitely was not an accident.


	7. chapter seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fuck seems to be kelley's word of the day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is compiled over five days of writing so if it isn't cohesive oops. also. typos are probably scattered throughout because i hate re-reading my stuff. it adds flavor :)

Kelley wakes up to a loud bang, a stifled groan of pain, and a hushed "fuck, fuck, fuck". She rolls over onto her back and sits up on her elbows to see Emily on the floor, clutching her elbow in what seems to be pain.

"Mornin'," Kelley says groggily, wiping the remnants of sleep away.

"Shit," Emily groans, "I didn't wake you, did I?" Kelley laughs sleepily, which causes Sonnett to soften a little. The sun is poking through the closed blinds, beams of light hitting her face and eyes making her squint a little.

"Oh, no, your clumsy ass didn't wake me. I just naturally wake up at..." She pauses to look at her phone on the nightstand, eyes widening when she checks the time. "8:18? What the fuck, Emily. It's recovery day, why are you up this early?" Sonnett rolls her eyes.

"It's recovery day for _you._ Also I gotta call the locksmith. Don't wanna overstay." Kelley gives her an incredulous look.

"Stay. I'll make breakfast and give you some ice for your elbow," Kelley smirks, and Sonny flips her off. "Ya know, you should be more careful you only have one body, ya know."

"Fuck off. I had to sleep with basically your entire body weight on me," Emily says and Kelley flushes, "I woulda been fine on the couch, B-T-Dubs. Wouldn't have ran into your stupidly pointy dresser." Sonnett finally gets up from the floor, bending her elbow and rubbing at the forming bruise there.

"It's not stupidly pointy, first off. That's just you," Kelley says and smiles. _Good one._ She sits up fully and stretches her arms above her head, kicking the covers off the bed and onto the floor. That's a problem for another time, "Get out. I have to change." She knows Emily's seen her far less decent, but her body is getting hot with the idea of Emily in the same room as she changes after just sharing a bed.

Emily saunters out, closing the bedroom door to leave Kelley in privacy.

Fuck. She hadn't-

She didn't _mean_ to sleep on top of Sonnett. At least-

Not all night.

Kelley loves to annoy people. Maybe annoy isn't the right word, but getting under people's skin and pushing them to the edge just excites her so much. She had sensed the fluster in Emily when they had first met. What was meant to be an indifferent front was not that. Kelley's fantastic at reading people, she thinks. She knows exactly what throwing an arm and a leg over Sonny did to her last night, but didn't expect what it did to _her._ She was trying to tease, but then - some time in the middle of the night - she felt Sonnett's warm hand settle on her thigh.

And, _fuck._

\--

When Kelley walks out of her room, Stanford sweatshirt and National Team shorts on, she's half expecting an empty apartment. She's half expecting that Emily would've just left, and was half expecting to feel slightly disappointed. But there Sonnett was - sitting on the couch with her feet propped up like she owns the place. It makes Kelley feel hot.

"I'll make you pancakes, yeah?" Kelley's already prepping the ingredients when Emily grunts out her response, too engrossed in whatever she's doing on her phone. Kelley's about to scold her for not paying attention when she's slipping out onto the balcony to talk on the phone. She busies herself with prepping the pancakes, using exclusively vegan products because she wants some too. She tries not to think too hard about what's happening outside.

About the fact that Emily's loud and boisterous laugh is heard through the door. She wonders who could be making her laugh that much. It's irrational and completely unprecedented - this feeling. Like she already dislikes the person on the other end of the line, no matter their gender, because _she_ wants to make Emily laugh like that. Like this red hot _feeling_ that she can't shake as she sees Emily's head roll back, her eyes squinting closed and left hand over her stomach. It _aches._

Is this what jealousy feels like? Kelley's never felt jealous before. Perhaps only _envious,_ but never jealous. She decides then and there, as she waits for the bubbles to rise on the pancakes, that she never ever ever wants to feel this ever again. It's horrible.

She realizes she's still slightly seething when Emily comes back inside, smiling. It takes a, "You're burning them, Kelley," to finally snap her back into reality.

"It's the first batch, don't worry about it," Kelley says as evenly as she can. Emily just shrugs and sits at the island, scrolling through her phone. 

"So the locksmith is gonna come by at around 10, I promise I'll leave before that." Kelley purses her lips, because she doesn't _want_ Sonny to leave. Quite the opposite, actually.

"Sonny, I told you that you can stay. I'm perfectly fine with you doing so." Now it's Emily's turn to purse her lips. Kelley doesn't want to hold her against her will, however. If she wants to leave, Kelley's not gonna, like, hold her captive. It's just-

Sonnett's fun to be around. Almost too fun, at times, but-

There are more important things to do than to make Emily stay in her apartment. There are things like getting Emily into her _own_ apartment. And flipping the pancakes that are most definitely burnt now.

"Told you they're burnt," Emily says smugly, and Kelley wants to flick her.

"Fuck off, Sonny," Kelley says while putting the burnt pancakes on a plate, before starting a new batch. "These'll be good."

Emily hums almost unconvinced, "I'll believe it when I see it, Kel."

Kelley _really_ wants to slap her. 

But then Emily's smiling that dopey smile and her dimples are popping and her eyes are squinting and _fuck._

She's gorgeous. All blue eyes and faded freckles. Wispy tendrils of hair that poke out of the far too messy bun that she probably hasn't fixed since last night. The way she looks so soft and _hot_ in Cardinal re-

What the _fuck?_

When did Emily steal her sweatshirt, and how come Kelley hadn't noticed until now?

She's about to make a quip about how Emily must be colorblind because she's wearing red instead of orange when Emily beats her to it. "You're burning them again. You're awful at making pancakes, here, lemme help." Kelley can't bite out any sort of response because the next thing she knows Emily is energetically getting out of her chair and rounding the island, making a 'scoot' gesture.

Kelley's too shocked to actually say anything, leaning back on the cabinets behind her and watching as Emily masterfully flips golden brown pancakes each and every time.

"You're far too good at this," Kelley remarks, and even though she can't see Emily, she knows she's smiling.

"I think you're just exceptionally bad." Kelley kicks the back of Emily's knee, causing her to buckle slightly, "Hey! I'm cooking you breakfast, that's no way to treat your hot chef," Emily laughs and it's a _joke_ but Kelley doesn't react as if it were one. Her ears get hot and her breathing quickens. Something inside of her changes, and there's a small amount of pressure in her stomach.

"Shut up or I'll make you leave." It's effective, and Kelley smirks to herself. "You look damn good in red, though." The only tell-tale sign that lets Kelley know Emily's blushing is the way her ears turn red.

Emily doesn't answer right away, opting to scoop the rest of the batter out for the final pancakes. "Here," She says, handing Kelley the plate of pancakes. Kelley takes it and places the plate on the island, getting two mugs of coffee for the both of them.

_(Everything is so domestic._

Kelley hates it.

But she also kinda likes it.)

"How do you take it?" Kelley asks and Emily just smiles at her, with her one dimple and squinty eyes. 

"You don't have to make me coffee, just because I'm making you pancakes."

"Well what if I _want_ to make you coffee?" Emily's smile grows wider and the light's hitting her perfectly and-

She's really cute.


	8. chapter eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for typos and shit lol

Sonny leaves, as expected. 

They had a fairly chill morning, which Kelley never would've in a million years guessed. She did kind of _hate_ the girl in the beginning, after all.

(Hate might be too strong of a word, now that she looks back on it, but Kelley would never admit that. Especially to Sonny herself.)

So maybe Kelley was just a tad disappointed when Sonny had done the dishes (???) and clean up the mess that she (Kelley) had made (again, ???). Maybe she was just a little disappointed that she could clearly hear the conversation between the _female_ locksmith and her next door neighbor. Neither were particularly quiet talkers, she noted. She was, maybe, a little more disappointed when Sonny finally got into her apartment with a pair of footsteps behind her. The walls are thin. (Maybe Kelley was pressing her ear up against the part of the wall that she knew was Sonnett's main space.)

She heard laughter, and Emily ask her guest if she would like a cup of coffee, and then some more laughter. It almost _burns._ This feeling in her chest that just wants to disrupt the lay that's Sonnett's about to get. 

It's quiet for a few minutes, and then Kelley can hear the shuffle of feet (one pair, she noticed) stumble their way to the wall that Kelley had just so happened to be listening through. She hears the heavy breathing, the panting. She wishes she _didn't_ hear the moaning, the begging. It was ten in the fucking morning, and here Sonnett was- girl pinned up on the wall that her and Kelley share, making it almost impossibly difficult for Kelley to breathe despite anything hindering her ability.

Why the fuck did she feel like this?

Like a steady, brewing pain that just intensifies the more and more that she listens.

She could just leave.

She could walk to the other side of her own apartment, plop her AirPods in, and forget about Sonny fucking a girl.

But-

Is this what masochism is?

She wants to hear it, longs for it. And maybe it's not this exact scenario she longs for, but she hasn't had sex in months. So as she hears a steady thump on the wall, she finds her hand wandering down to the waistband of her shorts.

She's a little too wet for the lack of stimulus that she's allowed herself. Maybe it's just because she's horny, and the mere thought of sex had turned her on. Maybe it was because she could hear the little grunts that she just _knew_ came from Sonnett and could imagine it closer, on the other side of the wall.

She didn't want to think.

Wanted this to be over as quick as possible, because she's sitting on the floor of her apartment shoving her hand in her pants. 

She tries desperately to push the image of Sonny out of her brain while she does this, but it keeps coming back stronger and stronger each and every time.

The way Sonnett's adept hands dig deep in between the bones and muscles of her wobbly ankles and sometimes calves. The image of Emily trailing those hands higher, towards her hips, knocked the breath out of her.

The way Sonnett's tongue poked out, slightly, while making the pancakes this morning. The way it sticks out during physio, or training, or when she's writing in her notebook. The image of Emily's tongue, of her mouth and lips all over Kelley's body made her tense.

The soft smile she'd frequently see as the days bled into weeks, months of them actually knowing each other. The way Sonnett seemed so calm and peaceful all the time. Her infectious laugh. 

Kelley forgot all about what's happening a wall over, reaching her peak with just the thoughts of Emily spurring her on.

She thinks about Emily in Cardinal red, the way she looked so soft all wrapped up in Kelley's clothes, how cute and _hot_ she had looked, and-

That's all it took. Kelley came all over her hand, slumping back into the wall as she kept her breathing as quiet as possible.

Fuck.

She's so screwed.

* * *

"My, my. Kelley O'Hara has a crush," Christen says smugly. Kelley had to tell _someone_ about Sonnett, and why not have it be the person she's known for basically her entire adult life? What could possibly go wrong, she had thought as the FaceTime started ringing.

"It's not a crush," Kelley mumbled, the words dying as she hid her face into the sleeve of her sweatshirt. Christen was smiling, being far too amused by the current situation than Kelley would like.

"Oh, wow. You really convinced me there. You should be a salesman, with your level of persuasion," Kelley flipped off Christen through the screen, "No, I'm serious, Kel. You could sell a lump of dirt as diamonds!" Kelley just rolled her eyes, letting one of her best friends in the whole wide world have a little more fun before it got serious.

"It's not a crush," She insisted.

"How'd that lie feel?" Curse Christen Press for knowing Kelley O'Hara better than she knows herself, sometimes.

" _Why_ am I feeling like this? Like, I've basically got no right to, right?" 

"Kel," Christen says softly, almost mother-like, "You can't control your feelings, no matter what you think. Sometimes, people come into your life that you never knew you needed."

"Like Tobin?" Kelley couldn't resist it. She knew Tobin was planning on proposing soon, excited for the both of them.

"Yeah," Christen said bashfully, "But this isn't about me. So you have a crush, what are you gonna do about it?"

"I mean, it's probably one-sided, right? Like, she could literally pick anyone up- I mean, she just did, like 30 minutes ago. So I should just get over this. It's honestly nothing, Chris. I don't know why you're making such a big deal outta it." When Kelley finished, Christen's face was lit up in a smile.

"I haven't heard you talk about a girl like this since college, Kel." She's about to interject when Christen says, "I'm proud of you. You got over her, and moved on. Never thought I'd see the day, to be honest."

Christen knows all about the Turbulent Tales of Kelley O'Hara's Ex, a story far too convoluted for either to hash out again. It was an unspoken rule that neither of them _ever_ bring it up again.

"Kel, Sonnett's different. I can tell. I don't think that girl has a bad bone in her body." Christen sensed the turmoil in Kelley's mind, so she just said, "Don't think too hard about it. Love comes when it wants to. Tell her how you feel, what's the worst that can happen?"

"A shit ton, Chris. Embarrassment, unwanted tension between the team, a slew of complications, really. Her last job she quit because of something like this. I don't want that to happen here. I think she likes Utah, to be honest," Kelley smiled at the thought of Emily standing on her balcony, looking at the Utah skyline.

"I think she likes a certain person in Utah, too."

"Don't say that. You don't know if she does."

"I've seen the way she looks at you, Kel. I know she does," Christen said. "When you figure this out, I want an invite to the wedding," Kelley's cheeks flushed a little at the prospect of _marrying_ this woman.

"Say 'hi' to Tobs for me, k?" Christen just nodded and they said goodbye, hanging up. Kelley took a deep breath before taking one of the throw pillows on her couch and holding it over her face, muffling the scream she lets out.

She's so fucked.


	9. chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> someone's a little thirsty, someone's a little hot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this just hopped right outta my brain. enjoy. typos and shit, i don't re-read, y'all know the drill by now

"Good morning, Miss Kelley," Emily says cheerfully. They have training before their weekend game against Orlando. It's a hot, dry June day, and everyone's lathering up at least two coats of sunscreen. No one's particularly fond of the practice that runs through the hottest time of the day.

"Morning," Kelley grumbles out, lacing her boots up and squinting to see Sonny from the harsh UV rays.

"Looking good today. Lunch after?" Emily smiles and sees Kelley soften up, before nodding.

There's a line, Emily thinks, that is almost too fine to know where it is. Emily and Kelley have been toeing it for three months now. There are times where Emily _really_ thinks Kelley might be the one to cross it, make a move and do _something,_ but she doesn't. So Emily's left shamelessly and openly flirting with the idiot that is Kelley O'Hara. It also includes going on lunch dates, apparently. She _could_ make the first move, _could_ speed everything along, but where's the fun in that? She _could_ just nut up and ask the idiot that is Kelley O'Hara out on a date, but she's so incredibly, spectacularly afraid of her reading everything completely wrong. 

Emily watches from the tent the coaches and staff have set up as the players train. More specifically, she watches Kelley. It's hard not to, honestly. Watching her streak up and down the field, sending crosses and being so damn good at what she does. Her eyes drift down to down to the hem of Kelley's shirt, and then up as said hem is lifted. She blinks, eyes fixing on _abs._ Like, holy fucking shit. She's never been more grateful for a pair of sunglasses in her life.

She watches Kelley drag her shirt up, wiping the sweat off from her face, and her mouth is _dry._ Could be from the Utah heat, _should_ be from the Utah heat. She chugs her water bottle. Craig calls for a water break, mandatory because of the sun, and Sonny busies herself with filling the players' water bottles up with special vitamins and electrolytes. She almost doesn't notice Kelley stride up next to her. 

Almost is a complete lie.

Kelley's hand finds the small of Sonny's back as she maneuvers around her, trying to get a cold water bottle and towel. It sends goosebumps down her body while heat travels up.

"You good?" Kelley smirks as she squirts water into her mouth, and then sends a small stream towards Emily.

"Hey!" She exclaims, snatching the towel thrown haphazardly over Kelley's left shoulder and wiping herself down. "I'm excellent, by the way. This tent is doing wonders, really."

"When I get heat stroke, don't sound so smug," Kelley says and takes the towel back, ridding of the sweat accumulated on her forehead and nose. The whistle blows for the girls to get back out, and Kelley sends one final smirk and wink before turning around and jogging back onto the pitch. If Emily feels like the temperature rose 10 degrees just from that, she doesn't say.

* * *

It's not a heat stroke.

But it's almost.

Which is just as bad.

Emily sees it happen before it actually does. Craig had given everyone an ample amount of water breaks and told the girls to take it a little lighter, but Kelley O'Hara is not one to coast. She pushes and pushes and pushes, despite fair warning from both Emily and every other trainer, until Craig calls for another water break and she almost collapses. Sonny sees her stumble a little, looking dog tired and heaving. She rushes out, cold towel and water in hand, as she guides Kelley under the tent. The other trainers are there as well, but she really only feels as though it's just them two.

"Let's get you inside, O'Hara," Sonny says once Kelley's looking a little better, out from under the blazing sun. "I got this, guys," She directs towards the head trainer and the others.

"I think that's a great idea, Son," Kelley heaves. Emily pulls her up from the seat, arm under Kelley's as they walk inside the facility.

"Told you I'd get heat stroke," Kelley says once they're inside, and it tickles Emily's cheek as the words leave her mouth.

"It's not heat stroke." They get inside the training room, and Kelley sprawls out onto one of the tables while Emily gets bags of ice and a cooling blanket. "I should scold you for pushing yourself too hard, but that wouldn't get through your thick skull," Emily chides, and Kelley looks mock offended, before hissing at the contact of the freezing bag onto her scorching skin. "Sorry. Are you ok? Do you feel a headache, dizziness? Nausea?"

"I'm fine, Son. Really. Sun was a lil disorienting but I'm A-ok. Promise." Emily's skeptical, but keeps her mouth shut. "Besides, I bet you're glad I got heat stroke, you don't have to stand outside anymore."

"You didn't get heat stroke."

"Yes I did."

"No, you didn't. You got heat _exhaustion._ There's a difference."

"There's a difference," Kelley mocks, and Emily places one of the ice packs on Kelley's inner thigh, making her hiss and say, "Stop! Ok, fine, I didn't get heat stroke!" Emily smirks, moving the ice pack a little higher. If they weren't so close, she wouldn't have been able to hear the quick intake of breath Kelley takes, and only then does she realize-

"Oh!"

She quickly removes her hand, rubbing the back of her neck and turning around on her twisty chair, scooting away under the guise of 'needing more water'. They have three bottles next to them, cold and unopened.

_Shit, shit, shit._

Did she just-

Was that-

_Shit, shit, shit._

"Uh. I- uh, you can- uh, so how 'bout the weather we're having, eh?" Fucking idiot. Luckily for her, Kelley seems to have shaken _that_ off. 

"Uh-huh. A little hot, don't ya think?" Emily nods quickly, fiddling with the pen in her hand.

"I need to take your temperature, make sure you're cooling down, some." Kelley nods and leans back on her hands, allowing Emily to scoot right between her legs. She can _see_ the condensation left by that damn ice bag still on Kelley's thigh, her eyes travelling up towards-

Emily clears her throat, getting the thermometer ready. "I'm not gonna stick this in your ass, hope you know." _What the FUCK._ Her ears burn after she says that, and Kelley's cheeks flush a little.

"Wasn't really planning on you to do that, but you _are_ the most medically educated out of the two of us." Emily gives her a half smile, and proceeds with her _job._

"100.2, still a little high. Should probably stay here for a little bit longer, cool you down some more." Emily's always been able to find a way to calm down when it comes to her job.

They sit in silence for a little. Sonny writes down about this on an incident report sheet, and Kelley lays down onto the table. The only sound is the occasional shift on the table from Kelley, or the melting ice. The tension is palpable, really.

"You're probably good to go, but I'll need to check your temp one last time just to make sure," Emily says, walking back towards the table. 99.1. "You're all good to go, O'Hara."

"Thanks, Son." Emily extends her arm to help Kelley up. She pulls, and Kelley kind of loses her footing a little, and slams right into Sonny. There's too much contact. _So_ much skin. Their foreheads knock a little, and Kelley pulls back first. No one moves. Their arms that slid together in the collide stay put, their breathing syncs up. Sonny's never seen Kelley this up close. She's never seen _this much_ of Kelley.

Her eyes are so bright, and there's a sea of freckles that are both new and old, faded and bold. There's dried sunscreen and sweat all over her face, wispy tendrils of flyaways that have curled due to the heat and sweat. Her lips are a little chapped. They're pink and thin, and her tongue slips out to wet them slightly, and-

She's staring at Kelley O'Hara's lips.

Thankfully, in a twisted sort of way, Kelley O'Hara was also staring at hers.


	10. chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the beginning of the start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhhhh it's been a while. sorry bout that. had a bad case of writer's block and just. Didn't Write. lol. anyways i hope y'all are still like. reading this. typos, etc.

"What makes your world go round, Emily Sonnett?"

They're sat outside Sonny's apartment -- out on the balcony -- looking at the setting Utah sun. Emily had invited Kelley over for a drink (or four), and they're just drunk enough to ignore the obvious tension between them. Kelley asks it calmly, almost musing. Emily's answer is--

Well. It's sort of a mess.

She was mid sip of some excellent wine Kelley had brought over, when the question was asked. She kind of choked, sputtering and spilling it down her chin. She wipes it quickly, to avoid having to throw out her shirt because wine on fabric is one bitch to remove, but doesn't miss the way Kelley's eyes sort of unashamedly track from the dribble that ungraciously exited her mouth to the wiping of her hand. It makes her flush, but she could blame it on the alcohol.

"Well I don't really know," She recovers, clearing her throat a little at the end, "Never really thought I'd be asked such a philosophical and deep question," she jokes, and Kelley, for her part, doesn't laugh. Just rolls her eyes and kicks Emily's foot where it's resting a couple feet away. 

"Just think about it. What makes your world go round?" She asks again, like she's re-reading the prompt of an essay. Emily hums, tapping her foot on the ground and her index finger on her chin. Kelley can tell she's not actually thinking, because she knows what that really looks like. Emily knows that she knows that. Emily knows that Kelley knows she brings her bottom lip between her teeth, and her eyes squint a little, and her worry lines crease. 

She takes a minute to think about it. To really think: "what would happen if this thing was stripped from me? Would it be soul-crushing, agonizingly painful, 'OMG, kill me now, I can't live without it'?"

"I think maybe helping people," Emily muses, and she feels a little sheepish because her answer's probably a lot lame, but Kelley's facial expression actually softens, donning soft eyes and an even softer smile, not her usual smirk. Emily rubs the back of her neck and ducks her head, because Kelley hasn't said anything in the past minute, and now she's feeling more embarrassed than she has in a while.

She's about to laugh it off, closing herself off, but then--

Kelley's hand is warm and soft on hers, loosely intertwining their fingers together.

If this is a dream, Emily doesn't want to wake up.

But she also doesn't like what's buzzing around the air right now. They're friends. Nothing more. Hands on top of hands is platonic. _Holding_ hands, is not. Well, Emily doesn't really know if this could be considered holding hands, but still. She doesn't like it. They're friends.

She retracts her hand as smoothly as possible, but doesn't miss the way Kelley's face... falls? She's reading too deep into this. It's her brain fucking with her, reigniting an old crush that she'd thought died out. Apparently it hadn't.

Emily clears her throat, asking:

"What makes your world go round, Miss Kelley?"

Kelley grins, eyes lighting up. Emily can already sense what's going to be said, already knows it's probably going to be about soccer, because Kelley's been involved with the sport for most of her life and is pretty good at it, so why wouldn't it make her world go round?

"Ask me later," She says, teensy bit playful, teensy bit wistful. Emily doesn't know what to think about that. Surely it's soccer, but if she must ask later, so be it. So Sonnett nods, downing the rest of her glass before reaching across towards the nearly empty wine bottle. Kelley must catch her drift, because she grabs the bottle and hands it to a leaning Emily, their hands brushing together. It sends a chill down her spine, and she can _feel_ the flush of her cheeks. Emily chews on the inside of her cheek, muttering out her appreciation, before finishing off the bottle. "So," Kelley starts, because it's been a little too quiet for a little too long. "You excited to see Horan at the end of the week?"

Emily smiles brightly, because she _is_ excited to see Lindsey. "Ecstatic, honestly."

"Maybe she can tell me some college Em stories," Kelley laughs, and Emily doesn't fail to notice the nickname being tossed into the mix.

"God, I hope she doesn't," Sonnett groans, because reliving those memories would _not_ be very appropriate. And Kelley laughs, a throaty, hearty laugh that makes something stir deep within Sonnett, and once again that Thing is buzzing around the air. That Thing that scares the shit out of her, because it's so, so close to something. 

"I don't know, Son, Tobin's told me some pretty interesting shit." Kelley has talked to Tobin. About Emily. Presumptively without any prior build up. Weird.

"Tobin barely even hung out with Linds and I. She's lame now, she was lame then. I think we wore her out some." And Kelley laughs again, that same laugh from literally 15 seconds ago, and Emily _still_ can't figure out what the fuck is happening to her right now. 

"You're a funny one, Sonny," Kelley says, wiping a motherfucking tear from her eye.

"Thanks," She mumbles out, and she really should just chalk it up to the alcohol they've been drinking. Because, yeah, she's funny, but that was some rudimentary shit. No one laughs that hard at such a poor joke. It's the alcohol. "We should head inside," Emily suggests, because it's almost dusk, and their bottle is empty.

"Help me up," Kelley reaches her arms up like a fucking toddler asking their mommy to lift them, and Emily resists an eye roll. She hops up, tucking her phone under her armpit and switching her glass to her left hand, extending her right to assist Kelley up. Kelley stumbles a little, clearly drunk, and Emily's got to wrap her arm around Kelley to stabilize her.

Emily walks back inside once Kelley's upright, set to do the dishes to avoid nasty wine stains. She whistles a tune, finishing quickly, hearing Kelley pad over to the sink.

"Sonny turn around," Kelley slurs out. Emily shuts the water off, shaking her hands free of excess water, and follows command. Kelley isn't saying anything, which is abnormal, just... staring. Or maybe gawking. Ogling? 

"What's up, Kel?" And there's still no answer, just a deadset focus on Sonnett, making her a smidge uncomfortable, and Kelley's tongue parting her lips to wet them. And now Sonnett's been caught staring at Kelley's lips far too many times than necessary, than acceptable.

"You're just," She trails, stepping closer, "You're so," she traps Emily's body between her hands on the counter behind them, leaning in just enough for Emily to get a solid whiff of Kelley's perfume, "God, you're so hot, Emily," and then her lips are pressed onto Emily's, hard and a little messy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> would y'all believe me when i say i wrote this all in an hour?


	11. chapter eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the one where they quit being idiots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi.
> 
> i'm really sorry for being Awful At Updating. i've had a lot of writer's block and haven't had the motivation to update. i'm awful. sorry. i hope you enjoy, however.
> 
> typos, you know.
> 
> also, sidenote: i just figured out how to type an em dash i feel so smart now

"What are you doing?" Emily gasps out, eyes wide and lips still damp from Kelley's. And normally, Kelley's great at turning things around, at playing things off. But this...

"Fuck," Kelley whispers, ashamed of herself for jumping the gun. "Fuck! Sonnett, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It's just— the alcohol, an- and _you,_ and _fuck,_ I'm so sorry." Kelley steps away, hands wringing together as she searches for her jacket and shoes. She needs to leave. Now. She can't stay here, not after this.

"Kel," Sonnett calls, because Kelley's slipping outside onto the balcony to retrieve her jacket and phone, looking as frantic as she's feeling. Kelley ignores her, partially because she's outside, partially because she doesn't want to get shut down. She'd rather be in this weird, awkward limbo than for Sonnett to call her out, for Sonnett to dismiss their friendship, for Sonnett to connect the dots.

(Really, she'd want to do just about anything other than have her feelings out there, in the open, exposed.)

"Kelley," Sonnett says, firmer, as Kelley walks back indoors, muttering something about leaving Emily alone and how she's sorry, and how she can't find her fucking shoes. She goes ignored once again, ripping open the coat closet door at the foyer to look for her damn shoes. "Kelley!"

That gets her attention.

"Yeah?" It's laced with so much fear and panic that it makes Sonnett falter. It makes her quirk her eyebrow up, for her face to soften. For the millions of thoughts running through her brain right now to just. Stop. For the world to freeze and for her to take in the sight in front of her: Kelley O'Hara on the verge of tears, trying to run away.

"Close the door." Kelley takes a deep breath, trying to calm her mind and body down, before turning around and closing the door. She can't look at Sonnett, not now. At those gray eyes and worn smile lines that, if she lets herself admit—if she lets herself take the walls down and see what's happening right in front of her—she's falling in love with. Because she's never felt this way before, even with her ex. It feels familiar but oh so new. Feels like being around Sonnett just makes her a better person, whether true or not. So she sighs and opens her mouth to hash out another apology, to swallow the lump in her throat and ignore the sinking feeling in her chest and stomach, but is beaten to it.

"Why are you trying to leave?" Kelley scoffs, because it's asked with so much adoration when it shouldn't be. "Hey, hey," Sonnett whispers stepping closer towards Kelley, who's still closed off by the front door. "Why are you leaving?" So maybe Kelley didn't believe her question was genuine the first time, but now—with Sonnett's eyebrows furrowed in that adorable way and her voice so soft, so comforting—maybe she does.

"Because," Kelley groans, or maybe whines, out in frustration. Because Sonnett's so frustrating sometimes, asking so many questions and becoming just a _slight_ nuisance.

"Because..." Sonnett trails off, looking at Kelley with expecting eyes.

Might as well bite the fucking bullet.

"Because," She pauses to take a deep breath, "I like you. And just kissed you. Which you _clearly_ didn't enjoy. So I'm leaving before I make a bigger fool out of myself." 

Sonnett's reaction doesn't even come _close_ to what Kelley thought it'd be.

Kelley thought that Sonnett might blow up on her. Might be offended, or maybe appalled, by her confession. Because it's very possible Kelley was reading way too into it.

What Kelley _wasn't_ expecting is Sonnett chuckling, shaking her head a little.

"What?" Kelley asks, a little annoyed, because it's making her feel pretty damn self-conscious. Like she doesn't understand the punchline of a joke. Like she's just a step behind.

"Nothing," Emily smiles, mouth upturning into a shy smile. "It's just— how do you know that I ' _clearly_ didn't enjoy' it?"

"I— well— like, you pulled away? And asked what I was doing?" Kelley rubs the back of her neck, hands shaking slightly. Sonnett takes another step forward, close enough to reach out and touch Kelley if she really wanted to.

"Kelley," Sonnett lulls, "Can you please look at me?" Kelley shifts slightly, more so looking up through her eyelashes than making direct eye contact. "I asked what you were doing because it was so spontaneous. Because you don't seem like the type of person to do that sort of thing." Kelley wants to make a quip about how that's false, how she's more than capable of picking women up due to impulse and spontaneity, but refrains. "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" Kelley murmurs, voice shy and unsure.

"When you said you liked me," Sonnett's voice is smooth as she brings her hand up to Kelley's chin, tilting it up just the slightest so they're making better eye contact. It feels like too much but not enough at the same time for Kelley. Like she could—in theory—just lean up and _kiss her._ "Did you mean it?"

Kelley face feels impossibly hot. Her entire body is so responsive to Sonnett, and there's a constant buzz in her chest—light and persistent. She can't trust her words, so she just nods her head. There. She admitted it.

"Good," Sonnett grins, bringing her hand ever so softly up Kelley's face, grazing her cheek and brushing her thumb across Kelley's bottom lip. "Because I like you too, so I'm going to kiss you right now, so you know that I enjoy it." Kelley rolls her eyes, but then Sonnett's lips are on hers and she stops thinking. 


	12. chapter twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two updates in the same month? weird.
> 
> typos, you know.
> 
> also i thumb typed this entire thing so typos could REALLY be a possibility

Kelley's kissed many people before. Many. But this one—

  
It might be the best one she's ever had.

Sonnett's got thin lips, which part ever so slightly as she tilts her head. Sonnett's hands, which were lightly holding Kelley's before all of this happened, have found purchase on Kelley's waist, light and present. Sonnett's a good kisser. A _really_ good kisser. She's responsive and teases just enough, and Kelley's can feel her own heartbeat _everywhere_.   
  


"Say it again," Kelley breathes against Sonnett's neck once they break away for air. Her hands are on Sonnett's shoulders, loosely wrapped around and playing with the baby hairs at the back of Sonnett's neck.

"Say what?" Sonnett leans in for another kiss, which Kelley gives into for a moment.   
  


"Tell me you like me again." Kelley can feel the smirk against her own lips as she mumbles it, the words almost getting lost between the two of them.   
  


"I like you, Kelley O'Hara. I like you a whole lot," Sonnett grins, and Kelley can feel something looming about in her chest, a faint buzzing, of sorts.   
  


(Maybe it's also in her shorts, but Sonnett doesn't need to know that.)

"I like you too," She gets out, almost sheepish now.   
  


"I would hope so, we're kinda sorta in the middle of a make out," Sonnett laughs, and it might be the best sound Kelley's ever heard.

"Shut up," Kelley says, maybe a hint of a blush on her cheeks (but that could be from the kissing). She plays with the hairs on the back of Sonnett's neck, placing light kisses on her cheek and forehead and really anywhere she can get her lips on. They're still awkwardly standing in the foyer of Emily's apartment, so Kelley — boldly — takes Sonnett's hand and leads them to the couch, bringing the quilt draped along the back to cover their laps.

"Moving fast, eh?" Kelley's about to tell Sonnett to shut up again, but is cut off with a chaste kiss. "Don't worry about it, babe, you could've asked, though."

Kelley blushes a deep red, probably visible from the other side of the fucking country. "Babe, huh?"

Sonnett just shrugs.

Kelley plants a deep kiss to Sonnett's lips, fisting the fabric of her dumb UVA sweater to pull her close. "I like it, Em."

Sonnett grins warmly, sweetly, kissing Kelley's forehead. "Only the pretty ladies get to call me Em, babe."

"Am I not a pretty lady?" Kelley feigns exasperation, toying with the loose thread of the quilt.

"You're the prettiest." Kelley feels her heart swell. Sonnett ever the sweet-talker. "And definitely the hottest."

"You're a little charmer, you know that?" Sonnett just laughs a little, scooting forward on the couch so that now their knees are touching. "I like this, Emily. I like _you_."

"My sweatshirt?" Sonnett quirks her eyebrow, confused as to what Kelley likes. Kelley just laughs and — because she can — kisses Emily again.

"No. Definitely not. I like being with you. Is that too much? We aren't even like, anything, really, yet. I'm sorry if that was too much, it's just— I haven't been with anyone in a while, and I really like you, and I wasn't planning on liking you, and—" Kelley's rambling is cut short by Emily kissing her hands, and then wrists, and then she's pulling Kelley into her and kissing her fully on the lips.

"You're cute when you ramble." Kelley's halfway to a rebuttal when Emily leans into her, half on top, head in the crook of Kelley's neck and everything just feels _right_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> methinks smut is needed next chapter, would y'all agree?
> 
> plz comment to let me know if you're still reading this, it really fuels my updating (it also makes me feel guilty but whatever).


	13. chapter thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kelley's going down a slippery slope. luckily, someone else is right next to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyyyy
> 
> it's been a while (almost a month, but who's counting?)
> 
> between school and my never ending writer's block, it's been difficult to get anything at all down. but here it is, the tag i'm sure everyone's been waiting for:
> 
> The Smut.
> 
> if that's not your thing, i'd probably skip the last part of this chapter.

They sit on the couch — kissing, talking, kissing some more, until the last of the afternoon sun fades into darkness. Until they're sat in the dark, barely able to make out each other's faces without the light. It's hard to tell whose legs are whose, almost indiscernible, even. They're so wrapped up in one another, sharing little anecdotes and just kissing because now they can. Sonnett finally separates them to go turn the lamp on, and her shirt rides up a little bit as she stretches from side to side, loosening her back.

Kelley's breath catches.

She's never seen more than what's deemed work appropriate. She's seen arms, and calves, and quads, but not abs. Or thighs. And it's shocking how she realizes that she's wet. Surely it's not from a two second tease of smooth, defined skin. That'd be pathetic. And she's caught in her head about the fact that she's just kissing the damn girl and it's made her wet. God, is she a 14 year old boy?

"Do you want dinner?" Sonnett asks, still standing up, pointing towards the kitchen. Kelley shakes her head, making grabby hands towards Sonnett.

"Just stay here. I miss you already." Sonnett rolls her eyes but gives in, placing a loud kiss on Kelley's forehead as she plops down besides her.

"You're a sap," Sonnett says, voice light and teasing. She wraps her arms around Kelley, who leans into Sonnett, much like they were before Sonnett got up. "Do you want to watch Netflix?"

Kelley turns in her arms to face Sonnett, smirk on her face, "Did you just ask if I wanted to Netflix and Chill, Son?"

Sonnett can't help but stammer out a response. Kelley laughs, and kisses her. "I was kidding, Em. Kinda. But yeah, we can watch something. You choose, I'm indecisive."

"Mmm, I know," Sonnett says.

"Shut up," Kelley remarks, playfully punching Sonnett in the arm. She's about to punch Sonnett's other arm when Sonnett catches her by the wrist, using leverage to push Kelley onto her back.

"Make me."

And _that_ —

Oh boy.

Kelley can imagine several ways to make Sonnett shut up. Like surging up for a kiss, taking Emily's pretty bottom lip between her teeth and tugging. Or flipping them — no matter the fact that they'd probably end up on the floor — effectively coming out on top. Or maybe wiggling her other hand down, skirting the waistband of Emily's shorts, hearing how her breath would hitch, and she'd probably be—

"Come on, Kel. Let's eat dinner. I'm starving." Sonnett interrupts Kelley's train of thought, definitely for the better. She rolls off of Kelley, extending a hand out to pull her up as well.

Kelley rolls her eyes, ignoring the slow turn in her gut. "Quite the gentlewoman," she says, gripping onto Sonnett's outstretched hand.

"My momma taught me right," Sonnett says with a shrug, keeping hold of Kelley's hand as they walk the short distance to the kitchen. She scrounges around her fridge, looking for things to cook, and when she turns back around to face Kelley empty-handed, she does the cutest damn shrug and half smile Kelley's ever seen. "We can eat out?"

God.

This woman.

"Dude we're wine drunk. I don't think we should be going out." Sonnett shrugs, opening and closing cabinets trying to find _some_ source of sustenance. Kelley's about to start rifling around too, when she remembers that literally 30 feet away is her own apartment, which she's _pretty_ sure has food in it.

Maybe.

"Come on, Sonny, we can go to mine. And maybe tomorrow we can take you grocery shopping," Kelley calls over her shoulder, already walking to the front door to slip her shoes on.

"Taking me home already? Moving fast," Sonnett says, joking, but Kelley can't help but get a little flustered.

"You took me home first," She mumbles, toying with a loose thread on her key lanyard.

"Hey," Sonnett says, gently, caressing Kelley's cheek and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "There's no one I'd want to go home with more than you."

"Dork," Kelley says trying to keep her cool, meanwhile her cheeks heat up. 

"You love it."

* * *

Kelley feels like she's in unchartered territories.

Well, not unchartered, but it feels a little like a resurgence of her old self. A self she hasn't feel like in months.

Dinner goes great. She didn't have many doubts. Sonnett's just so captivating; the way she talks, the way she holds herself, _her_. And Kelley can feel her own self slipping, down an unpredictable slope, but she's a feeling someone will be there right alongside her. And Sonnett's so, so funny, whether intentional or not. Kelley swears she's never laughed harder in her entire life. And as they're both getting up to put their plates in the sink, Sonnett grabs ahold of Kelley's hand and pulls her in for a deep kiss.

"What was that for?" Kelley can't stop the grin on her face if she tried. 

"'Cuz I can," Sonnett shrugs, before adding, "And I kinda like you. If you hadn't already known."

Kelley rinses the plates off and lets her cheeks burn red, a small smile resting upon her face. When she turns back around, Sonnett's already on her couch, scrolling through her phone.   
  


Like she owns the place.   
  


And Kelley's so incredibly attracted to the almost nonchalant way Emily so easily functions. She's almost jealous. But she's _not_ jealous, she's just in–  
  


Nope. Not yet. It's too soon.

(Like that could stop her heart from feeling big, scary feelings that she hasn't felt in what seems like a lifetime.)

Kelley moves quickly to where Sonnett's sitting, feeling emboldened by the alcohol in her system and Sonnett herself. Before she can stop herself, before she can doubt her next course of action, she straddles Emily's lap and kisses her hard into the back of the couch. Their teeth knock a little from the sheer force of the kiss, but once they settle it's all so, so good.

It's so good, that Emily lets out the tiniest of moans that shoots right through Kelley.

"Mmm, fuck, what was that for?" Emily says once they break for oxygen, her chest heaving.

"I wanna fuck you," Kelley whispers seductively in Emily's ear, enjoying the shiver it sends down her body. Relishing in the way her own body responds just the same. She kisses Emily again, passion flowing through her.

They kiss until Kelley feels Emily's hands lightly trail up her sides, and then down to do the same thing, only this time it's under Kelley's sweatshirt. Emily's hands are cold against Kelley's warm abdomen, sending goosebumps up her spine. Instinctively, Kelley grinds down.

"You are so hot," Emily groans out as she moves to start kissing Kelley's neck, up to her ear, nibbling a little. Kelley leans back to take her sweatshirt off, hoping Emily will follow suit.

She doesn't.

Her eyes widen and her breathing gets _fast._ Kelley would laugh if she weren't feeling insecure. If she weren't thinking that, maybe, she had jumped the gun. But then Emily says, "Oh shit," and skates her hands up Kelley's abs. Kelley can't help but sigh, kissing Sonnett into the couch again. 

She tugs on the back of Sonnett's sweatshirt, reminding her that she's the only one still fully clothed. Sonnett leans forward, almost pushing Kelley to the ground, and they dissolve into laughter as Emily pulls her sweatshirt off. "Don't break me," Kelley says.

"Wouldn't dream of it." And then they're kissing again, Kelley slipping her tongue into Emily's mouth. She can feel the wetness pooling in her underwear, probably soaking through her leggings at this point, honestly. She can't help it. Sonnett's an _excellent_ kisser. And her hands, god; they're everywhere all at once. Tantalizing movements on Kelley's stomach, stroking up to _just_ below her breasts, and skirting down to the waistband of Kelley's leggings. Reaching around, getting a handful of Kelley's ass which makes her moan into her mouth, the grinding becoming increasingly faster.

But Kelley doesn't want to fuck Sonnett on the couch. No no. She will _not_ do that.

At least this time.

So she breaks apart—lips swollen, legs wobbly—to stand, reaching down to help Emily up. "Let's move this."

Emily follows wordlessly. She's literally been in Kelley's room before. There is nothing to be nervous about. It's just a room, with a bed, and they're entering it, shirtless. Nothing to be nervous about. Kelley wants to fuck her, nothing to be nervous about. She's falling in love, nothing to be nervous about.

Right?

Kelley guides Emily down on the bed, standing at the foot and looking. Looking at the flush of her chest, and the heavy breathing. At her hair, which has fallen out of that signature bun. Looking to see Emily's eyes on her, gray and hungry. _I'm so in love with you_ , she thinks, before rolling her leggings down to the floor and stepping out of them. Before tugging at Sonnett's shorts, helping those down the floor as well. And Sonnett's so much hotter than Kelley could've ever imagined. She's so fit, toned abs and the ghost of a v line very apparent. She crawls on top of Sonnett, threading a hand through her hair as she kisses her way up. She stops at Emily's neck, kissing and nipping and enjoying the ragged breathing and small moans and whines coming from above her. She gets to Emily's pulse point and sucks, fingers teasing under Emily's bra.

"Kel take it off," Sonnett breathes out, her voice scratchy and so fucking sexy. Kelley grins against her neck, then leans back on her heels to let Emily sit up enough to unhook the bra. Kelley does the same to her own, but instead of letting it fall to the ground she holds her hands over the cups, letting go only because of Sonnett pulling her hands away. "You're so god damn hot," She murmurs, kissing the soft skin of Kelley's breasts before taking her nipple into her mouth and sucking it into a stiff peak. Kelley moans, arching her chest into Sonnett's mouth more.

"Keep doing that." Emily hums around the bud, releasing it with a pop and moving to the other. The only sounds filling the room are Kelley's moans and occasional squeaks when Sonnett finds one specific spot on her chest. Kelley can feel her wetness drenching her underwear, almost certain that it's made its way through and effectively dampening Emily. She pushes at Emily's shoulders, letting her lay down on the bed while trailing kisses down her body. 

"What do you want?" Kelley asks, leaving wet, open kisses up and down Emily's thighs.

"Fuck. Kel- fuck, babe I want your tongue," Emily pants out. Kelley's gently rubbing Sonnett over her underwear, feeling how wet she is through the fabric. Kelley slowly strips Emily's underwear off, placing a final bruising kiss to her lips before dropping to her knees.

"God you're gorgeous," Kelley whispers into Emily's soft inner thigh, before taking a long lick up Emily's slit. Emily moans, loud, hand already gripping the sheets. Already close to coming. 

"Fuck, don't stop," Emily moans. Like Kelley would dream of it. She runs her tongue through Emily's folds, before sucking her clit into her mouth. Emily's hand shoots down to Kelley's hair, hips bucking up as Kelley flicks her clit with her tongue. Kelley licks through Emily's wetness, savoring her taste. She licks through Emily once more, diverting her attention to Emily's clit and sucking it into her mouth. Her hand finds Emily's nipple, pinching and rolling it between her thumb and forefinger. Kelley can hear the raspiness in her voice as Emily's moans fill the room, loud and unashamed. "Kel, fuckkkk–" Emily groans, back arching off the bed, thighs clamping around Kelley's head. 

The sights and sounds of Emily coming almost makes Kelley come, that's how turned on she is. She crawls her way back up Emily's sweaty body, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand and kissing Emily. 

"God you're too good at that," Emily says, clearly exhausted. Kelley laughs, resting her head on Sonnett's chest, enjoying the slight heave of it. 

"Be my girlfriend," Kelley blurts, because she can't help herself. And she's nervous again, because Emily's breath falters and she's kind of choking on air, sputtering and coughing.

And then she's laughing, that big, full laugh that Kelley fell in love with.

"What the fuck?" Kelley asks, confused and a little hurt, so now she's become defensive. 

"Usually people _ask,_ but sure."

"Sure?" Kelley lifts her head off of Sonnett's bare, flushed chest and sees her smiling that damn soft smile. 

"Yeah," Emily leans in to place a chaste kiss on Kelley's lips, "Sure. I'll be your girlfriend. Now can I eat you out?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading, honestly. you guys are great. i'm sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. also i hope this was decent, i'm not well versed in the writing smut department


	14. author update

hello all.

oh, that's kind of ominous, innit?

sorry. let's try again.

hey y'all (yeah, that's better), i just wanted to pop in and say something really quick.

so, if you follow my tumblr, you know i'm very vocal on my personal beliefs and stance on what took place around the time of the challenge cup. i find it rather difficult to find motivation to write, especially this work, due to that.

i'm not going to get into details because that's not what this platform is for, nor is it something i feel completely comfortable sharing due to you guys only knowing me as that one author who is bad at updating.

now, i'm not saying i'm abandoning this fic or leaving the fandom (i've still got my one shots to finish, after all), but in case you were wondering why my updates have been worse than they were before this whole happenstance, this is a big part. also my chronic writer's block and lack of ability to think ahead, but i digress.

TL;DR- basically i've been internally conflicted and fell out of love with one of these characters, so it's been insanely difficult for me to grind the last couple chapters out.

at one point i really did love this fic so much, it's probably my most successful one and i get such positive feedback everytime i update, however now i can't say the same. i'm not giving up on it because i'm stubborn and really hate unfinished works so close to an ending. i guess you could consider this my step away from this fic for now. i might start new ones, i might just finish my one shots and stop writing for a bit, but i'll finish this one eventually.

i love everyone who reads this and all of you leaving kudos and comments. you're the best.

thank you so, so much for following along with this for the better part of eight months. publishing work is frightening, and each and every one of you made me feel so proud with every update.

stay safe, stay vocal, and vote. god, please vote.

\- naturalsunlight <3

**Author's Note:**

> i love having conversations, so comment or find me on tumblr! @teddybeargrahamcrackers


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